Drummond St Clair-Ford was born in Hurn, Hampshire on 15 December 1907, the third son of Anson and Isabel Elsie St Clair-Ford.  All three sons joined the Royal Navy, Drummond joining the Royal Navy as a Naval Cadet on 15 November 1924. In August 1927, Midshipman St Clair-Ford (Seniority: 15 January 1926) was serving in the battleship HMS EMPEROR OF INDIA, to which he had been appointed on 15 Jan 27.  He was promoted to Sub Lieutenant on 1 May 28 and joined submarines on 9 Dec 29 serving in the Submarine Tender HMS PIGMY for Group D Submarines, HMS L11 & L12 until August 1930.

Although busy professionally during the early thirties, it is reported that he found time for sport and was capped for the Scotland Rugby Union team five times between 1930 and 1932.  He also played Rugby representing the Royal Navy and Combined Services Portsmouth.

Promoted to Lieutenant on 1 January 1931, in July 1931 he served in HMS OBERON as the Third Hand, a job to which he had been appointed on 1 Sep 30. Subsequently, he served in the destroyer HMS SKATE as First Lieutenant from 26 Sep 32.

In July 1933 he was married to Miss Norah Elizabeth Astley Mabberly in St George’s Church, Hanover Square, London.  On 15 September, they embarked together in the P & O liner CORMORAN bound for Hong Kong, for Drummond to join the Submarine Depot Ship HMS MEDWAY.  In Jan 35 he was serving in HMS ORPHEUS as First Lieutenant, having been appointed to that job on 27 Mar 34.  Drummond returned home via the United States, arriving in New York on 4 May 36 before embarking in the SS BREMEN, to arrive at Southampton on 15 May 36.

After successful completion of the submarine Commanding Officers Qualifying Course (COQC) in August 1936, his first command was HMS H33 from 12 Dec 36 to Jul 37. This was followed by the Staff Course from 11 Jan 38, then the Submarine Depot Ship HMS MAIDSTONE as Staff Officer Operations (SOO), and later to HMS CYCLOPS as SOO to Captain SM3. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander on 1 January 1939.

In November 1940 he joined HMS STURGEON in Command and served as her Commanding Officer until 12 Sep 41.  Six weeks later, on 28 Nov 41, he transferred to HMS PARTHIAN and commanded that submarine until November 1942.

Drummond St Clair-Ford was appointed temporarily in Command of HMS TRAVELLER,  standing in for Lieutenant Michael St John who was ill, when the submarine was lost with all hands on 4 December 1942.

Drummond was the younger brother of Captain Aubrey St Clair Ford Royal Navy and Commander Vernon St Clair Ford Royal Navy. Drummond St Clair-Ford of Segensworth House, Titchfield, Hampshire is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

His widow later remarried Commander Peter Noel Buckley (another submariner).